Key Engineering Materials Vol. 883

Abstract: Springback occurs in sheet metal forming due to elastic strain recovery after removal of process forces respectively after opening of the tool. For this reason, a precise description of springback requires the elastic stress-strain relationship described by the Young’s modulus as well as the internal stress distribution of the part before unloading. In this context, the Bauschinger effect influences the stress state before springback due to premature plastification during load reversal or load path change. As is well known, the stress-strain curve of a material during unloading is non-linear because of additional microplastic strain, which is reflected in a decrease of the Young’s modulus. The aim of this work is to characterize the aforementioned phenomena and their effect on springback for three dual-phase steels namely DH800, DH1000 and DP1200LY. For this purpose, cyclic tensile-compression tests as well as loading and unloading loops within uniaxial tensile tests are performed at different plastic strains. To evaluate the springback behavior of the investigated materials, two different hat-profiles geometries are investigated. By comparing the springback of dual-phase steels on part level, the significance of different material influences with regard to springback is evaluated. The results show that the investigated dual-phase steels exhibit a pronounced Bauschinger effect and a considerable amount of microplastic strain with increasing total strain. However, the comparison between the springback of the hat-profiles and the determined material parameters proves a significant influence of the elastic strain on springback, while microplastic strain and the Bauschinger effect have a minor influence.

Abstract: Inspired by steel forming strategies, this study focuses on the effect of differential cooling on mechanical properties and precipitation kinetics during hot stamping of high strength AA7075 alloy. For this aim, different forming strategies were performed using segmented and differentially heated forming tools to provide locally tailored microstructures. Upon processing, uniaxial tensile tests and hardness measurements were used to characterize the mechanical properties after the aging treatment. Microstructure investigations were conducted to examine the strengthening mechanisms using the electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) technique in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Based on the obtained results, it can be deduced that the tool temperatures play a key role in influencing the mechanical properties. Lower tool temperatures result in higher material strength and higher tool temperatures in lower mechanical properties. By changing the cooling rate with the use of differently heated forming tools, the mechanical properties can be controlled. Microstructure investigations revealed the formation of very fine and homogeneously distributed particles at cooled zones, which were associated with elevated mechanical properties due to the suppression of second phase particle formation during cooling. In contrast, coarse particles were observed at lower cooling rates, explaining the lower material strength found in these zones.

Abstract: Pallets and forklifts equipped with Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology can be a suitable option for bridging the information gap between cutting and bending stages in sheet metal production. However, a decision on how tagged pallets can be assigned to their content needs to be made. In this paper, a reactive and a proactive approach for the near-automatic identification of parts on pallets after cutting are discussed and their performance is evaluated through a series of simulations. In both approaches, the nesting information along with the measured net weight of the pallets are used to determine the parts on top of each pallet. The influence of the alternative solutions problem on the performance is investigated for both approaches. It is concluded that the actual decision on the approach selection depends on the time that is required for each recalculation and each pre-allocation. Those times are workshop dependent and, therefore, a decision should be made for each workshop specifically.

Abstract: Stretch bending is widely used for manufacturing profile-type parts. However, one of the challenges faced by the bending-type forming processes is springback, which significantly reduces the dimensional accuracy of formed part, process flexibility and overall equipment effectiveness. In this study, we focus on the springback behavior in a newly developed flexible rotary stretch bending process for profiles. Using the Al-Mg-Si alloy rectangular hollow extrusions, the effect of stretching on springback, as well as process capability, is evaluated by a series of carefully designed experiments conducted for a wide range of stretching strains. Increasing the stretching strain from about 2% to 4%, the springback chord height can be reduced by about 32% and the process capability can be improved significantly, showing the strong ability of the novel flexible stretch bending strategy for controlling springback and dimensional accuracy.

Abstract: The increasing demand for resource-efficient production methods is driving the development of new technologies. Sheet bulk metal forming (SBMF) offers the possibility to combine sheet metal and bulk forming operations. This allows the production of complex functional components with secondary forming elements from sheet metal. Compared to other production techniques such as machining, a more efficient use of material can be achieved. Further advantages are a near net shape production and increased strain hardening. SBMF processes are limited by forming technology boundaries. These include high forming forces, incomplete mould fillings and limited surface qualities. In this research, the possibility of enhancing the material flow, improving surface quality and reducing the tool loads in SBMF-processes is investigated by using a superimposed oscillation. The focus here is on achieving a high surface quality of components produced by forming technology and an enhanced material flow during forming. For this purpose, a forming process for ironing an axial gear geometry is superimposed with an oscillation in the main force flow.

Abstract: Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) has recently introduced the concept of material formability enhancement through localized deformation. Since material is processed by means of a pin tool attached to spindle, physical interference (especially in vertical direction) limits attainable shapes with the conventional process. The aim of the following work is to increase the variety of achievable geometries with SPIF through in-process magnetic field assistance. An innovative configuration managing SPIF tool movement using magnetic force is proposed. With this in mind, a magnet configuration was designed to generate a vertical load able to plastically deform a 0.5 mm thick AA1100 aluminum sheet. Experiments were carried out to prove the concept by manufacturing a truncated cone; the results demonstrated the feasibility of Magnetic Field-Assisted SPIF.

Abstract: While Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) is approaching accuracy levels suitable for industrial take-up for specific applications, limited forming angles are still a great concern, leaving many applications out of reach. In this paper a two sided strategy for multistep incremental forming is presented, aiming at increased uniform wall thickness. By sequentially forming steeper wall angles, alternating passes between front and back side of the sheet, wall angles up to 105.5° were successfully reached in AA3103 with a blank thickness of 1.5mm. A resulting minimal thickness of 0.4mm and thickness range of 0.2mm was achieved for the 105.5°part.

Abstract: Manufacturing processes have a significant impact on global energy consumptions. The recovery of materials and functions for the implementation of the Circular Economy principle needs to be focused on either, by utilizing new techniques or the rethinking of old processes to rework End-of-life (EoL) components. Previous researches have shown Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) process as a good alternate for sheet metal EoL components reuse by their reshaping. In this article, the authors aim to study the effectiveness of the SIPF processes by comparing its reshaping performance with other, more conventional forming processes. An initial deep drawing process was performed to imitate aluminum sheet metal EoL component, subsequently, different stretching-based reshaping approaches have been tested. Results revealed that SPIF outperformed conventional forming processes, as proved to be the only approach leading to new/reshaped component

Abstract: Metal forming industry is frequently characterized by the demand of small-batch productions to manufacture highly customized products. Apart from the accuracy that is mandatory in high-tech applications, one of the main requirements remains the economic competitiveness that becomes critical in the case of the deformation of thick metal sheets due to the relevant forming loads and the large size of the machines that are required to perform such processes. These problems are partially solved by using incremental forming approaches, in which the deformation is gradually performed by the use of one (single point) or two (double-sided) tools that are usually made to slide on the metal sheet surface while they impose the desired deformation. The paper aims at introducing an innovative concept of incremental forming machine to perform double-sided incremental bends, specifically developed for thick metal sheets. The increased flexibility and the possibility to manufacture sound parts with reduced bending forces are shown and discussed.

Abstract: Despite years of supporting research, commercial use of the Single Point Incremental Forming process remains very limited. The promised flexibility and lack of specific tooling is contradicted by its highly complex deformation mechanics, resulting in a process that is easy to implement but where workpiece accuracy is very difficult to control. This paper looks at geometry compensation as a viable control strategy to increase the accuracy of produced workpieces. The input geometry of the process can be compensated using knowledge about the deformations occurring during production. The deviations between the nominal CAD geometry and the actual produced geometry can be calculated in a variety of different ways, thus directly influencing the compensation. Two different alignment methods and three deviation calculation methods are explained in detail. Six combined deviation calculation methods are used to generate compensated inputs, which are experimentally produced and compared to the uncompensated part. All different methods are able to noticeably improve the accuracy, with the production alignment and closest point deviation calculation achieving the best results